Wins have been hard to come by in recent weeks for the Las Vegas Raiders, as they now sit at 3-3 after a 3-0 start to the 2026 NFL season. But an opportunity to correct their course has presented itself in Week 7 in the form of a struggling and extremely banged-up Los Angeles Rams squad.
Klint Kubiak's team knows, of course, not to underestimate anyone in this league, as the short-staffed New England Patriots just whooped the Silver and Black in Week 5. Any given Sunday, as they say. And every week is about winning crucial matchups anyway; the game within the game.
To make sure that we cover the Rams in earnest ahead of the cross-conference bout this Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, we spoke to John Sbisa of Ramblin' Fan, FanSided's dedicated Los Angeles Rams site. He provided some excellent insight about his team and the upcoming matchup in Las Vegas.
And he's admittedly not quite as confident as he was when we spoke this summer.
Preview of Raiders-Rams in Week 7 with Ramblin' Fan's John Sbisa
Q: The Rams are somehow a mess with one of the NFL's best coaches and easily the league's most talented roster. What has been the disconnect that has them at 2-4?
A: To start, everything. Aside from that and all the injuries, there's just something off with this group on both sides of the ball. Playcalling has been an issue, but so has player performance. Oddly enough, this team still ranks third in both offensive and defensive yards allowed. Situationally, though, the Rams have been atrocious.
The offense can't convert in the red zone. The run defense has been puzzlingly poor. It's possible that all the new additions and injuries have disrupted the overall chemistry. Special teams have probably cost Los Angeles multiple games this season. What else is new?
Our take: Well, let's hope they don't figure it out this week. The Rams have enough talent and a good coaching staff, so they will always be a challenge, but if there's just something indescribably off about Los Angeles and the football gods don't want them to emerge victorious, Raider Nation will take that.
Q: Injuries have played a role. What do the recent losses of Davante Adams, Kobie Turner and Poona Ford mean, and what kind of impact would not having Trent McDuffie and Nate Landman on Sunday have?
A: McDuffie's absence was sorely felt in Week 6 against Arizona. The Rams leaned into a lot more zone coverage without him, allowing a rather tame Cardinals pass offense to capitalize on soft cushions of space for easy completions and yards after the catch. Landman isn't having his best season and remains a liability in coverage, but having him sidelined would be a big blow to a Rams linebacker corps that is middling at best.
Ford's and Turner's injuries are, to put it lightly, catastrophic. The Rams already couldn't defend the run or get much pressure on the quarterback. Ford and Turner might be two of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league. Now what?
Adams' absence will allow defenses to key in on Puka Nacua relentlessly until someone else in that receiver room steps up. Is Tutu Atwell the Rams' WR2 now? Konata Mumpfield? Yikes.
Our take: Soft zone coverage against a veteran quarterback? Yes, please. And a poor run defense down two of its best players against a Raiders rushing attack that hasn't gotten going yet? Absolutely. But since we spoke with John early on Thursday, the Rams' injury attrition has worsened even more.
Nacua left Thursday's practice with a calf injury and did not participate on Friday, putting his status for Sunday in serious doubt. He is officially questionable, but it seems like he's trending toward not playing. Now, suddenly, Atwell and Mumpfield are the top receivers... yikes.
Q: Brock Bowers has been a nightmare for opponents this year, and so has Michael Mayer. What do you think the Rams' strategy will be for slowing down this elite TE duo?
A: Hope and a prayer? The Rams did a decent job against Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, but the Raiders play a much more explosive brand of offense. Starting linebackers Nate Landman and Omar Speights both struggle in coverage.
LA does have a good group of physical defensive backs, but missing McDuffie would be a big blow in that department. My guess is that safeties Quentin Lake and Kam Curl and physical cornerback Josh Wallace will all be heavily involved in making sure (or trying to) that Bowers and Mayer don't have whole pastures of space to run through after the catch. Gang tackling will be key.
Our take: Yeah, the days of putting linebackers on either of Las Vegas' tight ends is in the past, or at least it should be. We touched on Lake's prowess against tight ends and how he could be a factor, but again, he can only cover one at a time. This is where the Raiders must be sharp and take advantage.
Q: How can Las Vegas slow down the Matthew Stafford-Puka Nacua connection?
A: Having Adams off the field will help. Just send double or triple coverage Nacua's way on every pass play and make someone else step up. Nacua will still make some crazy catches, but shutting down deep routes and limiting his production after the catch on the shorter stuff will force the Rams' offense to figure out something else.
Our take: Well, Nacua being injured is certainly a way to slow things down on this front. Even if he plays, it won't be at 100%, and Los Angeles will need others to step up. That bodes extremely well for Rob Leonard's defense, which has struggled in recent weeks and needs a bounce-back performance.
Q: LA hasn't defended the run very well. What is the root of those issues, and do you think this could be a get-right game for a struggling Raiders rushing attack?
A: Absolutely. Cardinals running back Bam Knight just ran 15 times for 80 yards, his second-highest rushing total in 27 career games. James Cook and Josh Allen are obviously a different breed of beast, but they completely gashed this group in Week 5. Now they're missing Ford, Turner, and potentially Landman. The Rams are a team you should want to face if your ground game needs to find its groove.
Our take: Unfortunately, the Raiders could be without Mike Washington Jr., but this may be a chance for Ashton Jeanty to get some momentum and put up big numbers to remind everyone of exactly who he is. Landman is officially out now, so things are even worse for the Rams.
Q: Who is a weak link on the Rams that Klint Kubiak and Co. could potentially expose?
A: Definitely the linebackers. Whether or not Landman plays, isolating him and Speights against Bowers and Mayer will put pressure on the Rams' secondary to clean up the inevitable mess when the linebackers get beat.
Our take: With two tight ends who can catch passes and do damage underneath, plus a running back group that thrive as receivers coming out of the backfield, facing a weak linebacker corps, particularly in coverage, should be music to Kubiak and Cousins' ears.
Q: If you could, name one underrated player (or someone fans aren't talking about enough) on your roster that you think could cause problems for the Raiders on Sunday.
A: Is running back Kyren Williams still underrated? Quietly on pace for a fourth straight season of 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, he is averaging over 100 scrimmage yards per game and has often been the most reliable thing about the offense.
If the Rams ever decide to run the offense through him, or at least keep him on the field when it counts, he could be even more productive than he's already been. He wasn't satisfied with his season-low 10 carries in Week 6. Especially with Adams gone, maybe head coach Sean McVay gets back to feeding Williams in Week 7 against the Raiders.
Our take: I would say, compared to others on the Rams' roster, Williams is a bit underrated. And he has been effective this year, so I wouldn't be shocked if they lean on him heavily this week, with injuries piling up and in the wake of his comments. Las Vegas has struggled against the run, so Williams (and Blake Corum) could be the great equalizers in Week 7.
Q: Lastly, what is your final score prediction?
A: With the Raiders hosting, this feels like a game that should be nearly a coin flip or one where Las Vegas is favored. The Raiders have played well. That three-game losing streak has come against the Chiefs, Patriots, and Bills, three of the four best teams in the AFC.
Meanwhile, the Rams just lost to the Cardinals and are now down even more injured stars. It's a must-win game, but so was last week, and the Raiders will also be motivated to get back in the win column. LA has officially reached prove-it status. I'll go 27-23 Las Vegas in this one.
Our take: Wow! I believe John is the first rival site expert to pick the Raiders... how honorable. And I agree with him; I think Las Vegas should pull this one out. In their three home games this season, they have handled the Miami Dolphins and competed to the end with the Chiefs and Bills.
I'll say 25-22, Raiders on top.
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